Bloomfield Avenue (Former NJSHR 12)

A history lesson to establish context:

Before there were numbered roads in New Jersey, there were turnpikes. There was the Parsippany and Rockaway Turnpike, a branch of the Newark-Pompton Turnpike to connect the Parsippany and Rockaway Turnpike in Pine Brook to the Newark-Pompton Turnpike mainline in Verona, and then the mainline of the Newark-Pompton Turnpike that stretched from Newark to Riverdale / Pompton Lakes. Portions of these turnpikes became known as Bloomfield Avenue.

After tolls were removed, Bloomfield Avenue then became the name of the Parsippany and Rockaway Turnpike from Denville to Pine Brook, then the Newark-Pompton Turnpike branch from Pine Brook to Verona, and finally, the Newark-Pompton Turnpike mainline from Verona to Newark. Bloomfield Avenue passed through Denville, Parsippany, Pine Brook, the Caldwells, Verona, Montclair, the titular Bloomfield, and ended in Newark. This corridor is now largely US 46, NJ 159, CR 506, and CR 506 Spur.

But why does this page exist? For the most part, Bloomfield Avenue from Pine Brook (western terminus of NJ 159) to Newark has been largely intact. But the Denville to Pine Brook section that became US 46 has been bypassed heavily to hold US 46. This left remnants of the original Bloomfield Avenue behind, also called Bloomfield Avenue or Old Bloomfield Avenue.

And what does NJSHR 12 have to do with this? NJSHR 12 was the former designation of Bloomfield Avenue from Denville until Pine Brook, the same section of Bloomfield that would be severed because of US 46 bypasses. This designation lasted until 1927, when NJ 6, the predecessor of US 46 was designated to succeed NJSHR 12. While NJSHR 12 didn't entirely follow US 46, it did that from Denville to Pine Brook. So that's what we're left with.

Denville segment:

Bloomfield Avenue (former NJSHR 12) starts at Main Street / NJ 53 (former NJSHR 5 / 5N). NJ 53 ends here because of the former route designations.

Facing west. Broadway (right) splits from Bloomfield Avenue (left) to enter downtown Denville.

A monument at the eastern side of downtown Denville, where Broadway and Bloomfield Avenue meet.

Bloomfield Avenue reaches US 46. The Denville segment ends here, and the route (secretly?) follows US 46 before resuming near I-80. The next segment is the Parsippany - Troy Hills to Pine Brook segment.

Parsippany - Troy Hills to Pine Brook segment:

Old Bloomfield Avenue in Pine Brook, Montville Township.

This old bridge over the Rockaway River has an inscription for NJSHR 12. This structure dates back to 1922, so it's over 100 years old and still functions. I guess you can thank US 46 for funneling traffic off this relic.

More of Old Bloomfield Avenue in Pine Brook.

Another old bridge over an unnamed stream. The bridge here dates to 1921. This section of Bloomfield Avenue used to go straight into where NJ 159 begins, but that has been severed when the US 46 bypass was built. This bridge used to connect to a junkyard, but that junkyard has since been redeveloped into apartments. A much more pleasant sight, and if you're a roadfan, a neat driveway.

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